Daniel de Jesus

“Art and my discipline meet when the ideas that I have on paper start to go through a process of improvisation and play. I feel like that's when the work really comes to life, sort of from the sketch to the big painting the process really is everything.”

Daniel de Jesús is a painter, composer, and songwriter versed in the worlds of visual and sonic tapestries. Daniel’s visual art follows medieval and baroque archetypes of figurative painting, yet infuses it with a brilliance of color and application that is melodic. The themes they explore are often based on Latin American baroque stylings with a penchant for Pre-Raphaelite yearnings of forlorn faces and frail bodies, portraying an iconic melancholy both beautiful and tragic. Daniel is often inspired by historical figures like mystics, scholars, artists, and martyrs.

Daniel feels that innovation in recording and access to more platforms to share content have really allowed them to continue their career as a musician. They started to make and realize the pictures and the music that were in their imagination. They thought it was their job to find them, but then they realized that they could just make it themselves and enjoy the process.

What does innovation influence your work?

“I feel that innovation in recording and access to more platforms to share content has really allowed me to continue my career as a musician. I feel that it is possible through the advance of the technology that I am able to share my work onto the endless waters of recorded music.”

What big ideas have propelled your career?

“The big ideas that have propelled my career has a lot to do with having a desire to see and hear things that I could not find. I started to make the pictures and the music that I wanted 2 be realized that was in my imagination. I thought it was my job to find it but then I realize that I could just make it myself and enjoy the process.”

Where do art and your discipline meeT?

“Where art and my discipline needs are when the ideas that I have on paper start to go through a process of improvisation and play. I feel like that's when the work really comes to life. sort of from the sketch to the big painting the process really is everything.”

Who are your local heroes?

“I have so many Local Heroes. Here are a few... Dr. Carmen Febo San Miguel - Director of Taller Puertorriqueño, Robert Hazard - Song Writer, Henry Ossawa Tanner - Painter, Vivian Barton-Dozer - Cellist and Gamba Musician & was my cello Teacher, Violet Oakley - Painter & Muralist. Queer Ancestor.

Biography:

Daniel de Jesús is a painter, composer, and songwriter versed in the worlds of visual & sonic tapestries. de Jesús’ visual art follows medieval and baroque archetypes of figurative painting, yet infuses it with a brilliance of color and application that is melodic. The themes they explore are often based on Latin American baroque stylings with a penchant for Pre-Raphaelite yearnings of forlorn faces and frail bodies, portraying an iconic melancholy both beautiful and tragic. de Jesús is often inspired by historical figures like mystics, scholars, artists, and martyrs; all of these are their muses.